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  1. Home
  2. Teachers and Group Leaders
  3. Pre-tour Teacher Training

Pre-tour teacher training

Our training programs ensure every teacher feels confident, prepared, and excited ahead of leading their first EF Explore America tour.

Teacher smiling and talking with an EF employee
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Two teachers taking a photo in front of the Washington Monument

Grow your support network

As soon as you’re interested in leading your students on an EF Explore America tour, you’re supported by a dedicated team of experts who have your back, understand your community, and guide you through every stage of your planning journey.

  • Tour Consultant

    Your personal Tour Consultant helps you find the right itinerary, get students signed up, and prepare for your tour.

  • Educational Travel Advisors

    Gain access to an entire network of experienced teachers who have led countless educational tours with EF. They’ve seen it all, and have unlimited tips, tricks, and stories.

  • Traveler Support Specialists

    We have a team based in every time zone dedicated to answering any questions travelers and families may have ahead of your tour (in Spanish, too!).

Learn more
Two teachers taking a photo in front of the Washington Monument

Experience a training tour

The best way to know what to expect on an EF Explore America tour is to experience one firsthand. Our no-cost, teacher-only training tours are offered in major cities across North America, and you earn 20 professional learning hours or points. Unlock your free spot by enrolling at least 15 paying travelers on your first educational tour.

See our full Terms and Conditions for more information.

Unable to go? Join a virtual training tour instead.

If you can’t travel on an in-person training tour, you can still experience one virtually. Connect live with EF staff and Educational Travel Advisors for an engaging, interactive session full of practical tips, helpful resources, real-world activities, and the opportunity to network with other teachers leading their first EF tour.

Log in to get started

Learn the ropes of student travel in an iconic U.S. city

We offer training tours in multiple cities across the U.S., so you can find an option that best aligns with your student tour focus and schedule.

Boston Commons

Boston

New York City skyline

New York City

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Your team on the ground

When you travel with EF, you never go alone. Just like you’ll have an entire team of experts in your corner for your student tour, you’ll have a similar support system on your training tour, too.

  • Other educators

    Teachers just like you, who are also preparing for their first EF Explore America tour and value travel-based learning

  • EF staff members

    A dedicated team of experts who support teachers every day and know the ins and outs of how to lead a successful tour

  • Tour Director

    Your expert guide on the ground, guiding your group 24/7 (just like on your student tour!)

  • Educational Travel Advisors

    Teachers who have led countless EF educational tours and are here to provide mentorship, support, and priceless student travel tips

What to expect on your training tour

  • Hands-on previews of what student travel looks and feels like with EF—including guided tours, activities, meals, and more

  • Workshops and activities guided by educators who have extensive student travel experience, along with EF staff who work with teachers like you every day

  • An opportunity to grow your professional network by meeting other travel-loving educators

  • Honing your “why,” so your student tour can reflect and amplify lessons from your classroom

  • An understanding of all the professional growth opportunities you unlock with EF

The best weekend ever with EF looks like this

You’ve probably got a lot of questions. What will you do? Who will you meet? What does fresh lobster in Boston’s North End taste like? Watch these videos to get a glimpse at all the good times and growth that comes with a training tour.

Explore, learn, and grow in an iconic city

See how a training tour builds confidence

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Sarai

How teacher Sarai embraced learning to lead

  • Q: Did anything surprise you about your training tour?

    A: Seeing so many people like me. I feel different from the other educators on my campus—but here, we’re all working hard to get this done for our kids. Also, I realized there’s still room for me to learn as an educator. I felt the fire in me again, and I can’t wait to pass that on to my students.

  • Q: What’s the message you’ll share with your students when you get home?

    A: I’m going to be really transparent and say, “I’m a little intimidated, but I know that I can do this for you. We’re going to discover this together, and I’ll be a student again with you.”

  • Q: Any final thoughts on your overall experience?

    A: Seeing how organized and knowledgeable everybody was gave me the confidence to say, even if this or that happens on tour, it’ll be fine because people will support me. So, my biggest takeaway is confidence.

Sarai
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Ready to learn more about leading your first EF Explore America tour?

If you’ve already started planning your first student tour, log in to connect with your Tour Consultant about becoming eligible to travel on a training tour.

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